Okay this is sort of against my religion but?

Question

I think we should put in an express lane for all criminals who are now on death row and for any criminals who crimes are so hideous as to be incomprehensible. Put the moderate criminals that would be left over in places like alcatraz and such. Then turn the left over jails into public funded shelters for the homeless. If you will give up tax dollars to house those who have no place in society, why would you not do the same for people who are down on their luck. Give them the same opportunities we give criminals. 3 Square meals a day, cable, a warm place to stay out of the elements, access to books and educational as well as spiritual help. Who else thinks this makes more sense than what we currently have?

Answer 1

Well, you defnitely think outside the box!

Answer 2

Sounds good to me, but what about those who where run through the courts and after 6 -12 years of appeals have been found not guilty due to DNA evidence? If we kill them quick, we're libel to kill innocents more than we do now. I've heard that DNA tests are expensive, so while I think we should do them whenever possible it may be that we just can't in every case.

But I do like the different levels of imprisonment and that there will be an "express lane". And that the left over jails can, at least in part, used to house the homeless. But I think it should include that those who are expressed should be known without a shadow of any high tech doubt that they did what they're accused of. And the homeless should be allowed the things you suggested, but education and a job should be required and there should be a limit on how long they can stay - maybe 2 years. Whatever the time, it should be long enough for them to get a HS GED, and/or some technical training with 6 months to save their money after getting a job. As they get closer to "graduation" they should have to start paying something back. Obviously not money, but community service, speeches to HS students, etc.

Answer 3

...I would do it a bit different. Execute the convicted murderers, rapists, drug dealers,and pedophiles.
...Those who are jailed (leftover, non-violent offenders) should be forced to work and have few luxuries - they should work to eat and learn how it is on the outside, not create a welfare state in prison. Prison time should be unpleasant enough that no one would ever want to return, thus making it a pleasure to be law-abiding.
...Since when is taxpayer-funded cable TV a necessity for anyone?
...I am not against helping those who need it -
but never for extended periods of time. And re: giving homeless people all this stuff - you would destroy the incentive to get out, get off assistance, to become gainfully employed, and to get folks to learn to stand on their own two feet.
...Last, I don't believe it is the government's job to prop up every poor and homeless person - Jesus said we will always have the poor. Local ministries, churches, and charities can do a much better job, and do.
...RE Papa Bear - the key is convicted, and this is after folks have receive a fair trial, and these days, they are overly fair - and don't assume every convicted felon got a bad deal - the media loves to report mistakes - but I don't think there are that many - what can I say - while our justice does make mistakes, I wouldn't scrap the whole system.

Answer 4

Just a little devil's advocate.

Though you push the envelope on such a thing like this, I have to agree with your reasoning, though I think we take the rights away from prisoners (yes, they do have some rights left). We become the very people we denounce everyday.

I know you would like to help the homeless, and it is a noble goal, but at what cost? Take that into account when take the life of a person into your hands, please.

In the wise words of Gandalf from Tolkien's "Fellowship": "Don't be so eager to deal out death and judgment."

Answer 5

Who defines what's "incomprehensible"? I think the idea you're trying to get across is decent, make jail something people DON'T want to go to. I've often wondered why it is that criminals have better lives than people who are homeless and have never committed a crime before.

As for homeless shelters, it's a good idea in theory, but you run into the problem of where to put them. You can't logistically put all the criminals into a small confined space and then turn the jails into shelters.. jails are massively crowded as it is.

Unfortunantly, I think we as a society are losing touch on our fellow man. Too many people are in jail.. too many people are homeless, too many people are depressed, too many people are sick, hungry and hurting... we are headed towards becoming completely anti-social society.

Answer 6

I like the sentiment. I think the social safety net in the USA is weak.

My concern is "express laning" all the people currently on death row. The appeals process is there for a reason.

"The danger that innocent people will be executed because of errors in the criminal justice system is getting worse. A total of 69 people have been released from death row since 1973 after evidence of their innocence emerged. Twenty-one condemned inmates have been released since 1993, including seven from the state of Illinois alone. Many of these cases were discovered not because of the normal appeals process, but rather as a result of new scientific techniques, investigations by journalists, and the dedicated work of expert attorneys, not available to the typical death row inmate."

Answer 7

Actually, prison has been my 'retirement plan' for a long time. They don't have it half bad there. I'm capable of being dangerous in a non-violent way.

I agree with you, however. I used to live between the VOA homeless shelter and a Mission. Some of my best buddies were homeless people and most of them were also NICE people! The vast majority of them just didn't have a home, but they did have jobs. They just couldn't afford the california rent. Why SHOULD murderers be treated better than them?

Disgusting, if you ask me.

~Morg~

Answer 8

i agree
more money should be used to help the homeless
i also agree that they should reopen alcatraz as a prison and not a tourist attraction
i also oppose the death row
becuz death is actually an easier road
becuz when u are put in an electric chair u only suffer for a few min max
but the lives u took the lives u ruined
is not juz worth a few min of pain
they should be put in prison and hard labour for life
let them suffer for the rest of their life
that is only if they did killed or something like that

Answer 9

I don't mind so much getting rid of the criminals who are on death row....I don't want to waste my tax dollars on some idiot, who was tried, and found guilty of the death penalty. I think we leave them there WAY TOO LONG!

As far as the shelters, sounds like a great idea. However, there are so many people who would take advantage of that. It would be hard to decide how long you would help people, without them taking advantage.

It's the same as welfare. I think welfare is great, but so many people take advantage of the system.

(p.s. My family was on welfare for a few years, so I am not against it. I believe it helps in a time of need. I just think too many people misuse it.)

Answer 10

I don't know about "express lanes". I think we should have a facility in the middle of nowhere (Antarctic for example) for the criminals and Yes, I agree with you on turning prisons into homes for the homeless. It's pretty sad that criminals get treated better than honest homeless people down on their luck.
VOTE ME IN!

Answer 11

What religion would be opposed to that? Except for the death penalty thing, everything you said sounds almost progressive. There should be a system wherein the homeless have more security. Our criminals have more than the impoverished.